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Abstract:

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1026361.
Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the
soybean variety A1026361. Also provided by the invention are tissue
cultures of the soybean variety A1026361 and the plants regenerated
therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for
producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1026361 with
itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.

Claims:

1. A plant of soybean variety A1026361, wherein a sample of seed of said
variety has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. ______.

2. A plant part of the plant of claim 1, wherein the plant part comprises
at least a first cell of said plant.

3. The plant part of claim 2, further defined as pollen, a meristem, a
cell, or an ovule.

4. A seed of soybean variety A1026361, wherein a sample of seed of said
variety has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. ______.

5. A soybean plant that expresses all of the physiological and
morphological characteristics of soybean variety A1026361, wherein a
sample of seed of said variety has been deposited under ATCC Accession
No. ______.

6. A method of producing soybean seed, wherein the method comprises
crossing the plant of claim 1 with itself or a second soybean plant.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method comprises crossing the plant
of soybean variety A1026361 with a second, distinct soybean plant to
produce an F1 hybrid soybean seed.

8. An F1 hybrid soybean seed produced by the method of claim 7.

9. An F1 hybrid soybean plant produced by growing the seed of claim
8.

10. A composition comprising a seed of soybean variety A1026361 comprised
in plant seed growth media, wherein a sample of seed of said variety has
been deposited under ATCC Accession No. ______.

11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the growth media is soil or a
synthetic cultivation medium.

12. A plant produced by introducing a single locus conversion into
soybean variety A1026361, or a selfed progeny thereof comprising the
single locus conversion, wherein the single locus conversion was
introduced into soybean variety A1026361 by backcrossing or genetic
transformation and wherein a sample of seed of soybean variety A1026361
has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. ______.

13. The plant of claim 12, wherein the single locus conversion comprises
a transgene.

16. The seed of claim 15, wherein the single locus confers tolerance to
an herbicide selected from the group consisting of glyphosate,
sulfonylurea, imidazalinone, dicamba, glufosinate, phenoxy proprionic
acid, cyclohexanedione, triazine, benzonitrile, PPO-inhibitor herbicides
and broxynil.

17. The seed of claim 15, wherein the single locus conversion comprises a
transgene.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: (a)
crossing a plant grown from said F1 hybrid soybean seed with itself
or a different soybean plant to produce a seed of a progeny plant of a
subsequent generation; (b) growing a progeny plant of a subsequent
generation from said seed of a progeny plant of a subsequent generation
and crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or
a second plant to produce a progeny plant of a further subsequent
generation; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) using said progeny plant
of a further subsequent generation from step (b) in place of the plant
grown from said F1 hybrid soybean seed in step (a), wherein steps
(a) and (b) are repeated with sufficient inbreeding to produce an inbred
soybean plant derived from the soybean variety A1026361.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising crossing said inbred soybean plant
derived from the soybean variety A1026361 with a plant of a different
genotype to produce a seed of a hybrid soybean plant derived from the
soybean variety A1026361.

20. A method of producing a commodity plant product comprising collecting
the commodity plant product from a plant of soybean variety A1026361,
wherein a sample of seed of said variety has been deposited under ATCC
Accession No. ______.

22. A soybean commodity plant product produced by the method of claim 20,
wherein the commodity plant product comprises at least a first cell of
soybean variety A1026361.

Description:

[0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Appl. Ser.
No. 61/515,939, filed Aug. 7, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to the field of soybean
breeding. In particular, the invention relates to the novel soybean
variety A1026361.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable
plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition
of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of
program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The
next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the
program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety an improved
combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. These
important traits may include higher seed yield, resistance to diseases
and insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to drought and heat,
better agronomic quality, resistance to herbicides, and improvements in
compositional traits.

[0006] Soybean, Glycine max (L.), is a valuable field crop. Thus, a
continuing goal of plant breeders is to develop stable, high yielding
soybean varieties that are agronomically sound. The reasons for this goal
are to maximize the amount of grain produced on the land used and to
supply food for both animals and humans. To accomplish this goal, the
soybean breeder must select and develop soybean plants that have the
traits that result in superior varieties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] One aspect of the present invention relates to seed of the soybean
variety A1026361. The invention also relates to plants produced by
growing the seed of the soybean variety A1026361, as well as the
derivatives of such plants. Further provided are plant parts, including
cells, plant protoplasts, plant cells of a tissue culture from which
soybean plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant
cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as pollen,
flowers, seeds, pods, leaves, stems, and the like.

[0008] In a further aspect, the invention provides a composition
comprising a seed of soybean variety A1026361 comprised in plant seed
growth media. In certain embodiments, the plant seed growth media is a
soil or synthetic cultivation medium. In specific embodiments, the growth
medium may be comprised in a container or may, for example, be soil in a
field. Plant seed growth media are well known to those of skill in the
art and include, but are in no way limited to, soil or synthetic
cultivation medium. Advantageously, plant seed growth media can provide
adequate physical support for seeds and can retain moisture and/or
nutritional components. Examples of characteristics for soils that may be
desirable in certain embodiments can be found, for instance, in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,932,166 and 4,707,176. Synthetic plant cultivation media are also
well known in the art and may, in certain embodiments, comprise polymers
or hydrogels. Examples of such compositions are described, for example,
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,537.

[0009] Another aspect of the invention relates to a tissue culture of
regenerable cells of the soybean variety A1026361, as well as plants
regenerated therefrom, wherein the regenerated soybean plant is capable
of expressing all the physiological and morphological characteristics of
a plant grown from the soybean seed designated A1026361.

[0010] Yet another aspect of the current invention is a soybean plant
comprising a single locus conversion of the soybean variety A1026361,
wherein the soybean plant is otherwise capable of expressing all the
physiological and morphological characteristics of the soybean variety
A1026361. In particular embodiments of the invention, the single locus
conversion may comprise a transgenic gene which has been introduced by
genetic transformation into the soybean variety A1026361 or a progenitor
thereof. In still other embodiments of the invention, the single locus
conversion may comprise a dominant or recessive allele. The locus
conversion may confer potentially any trait upon the single locus
converted plant, including herbicide resistance, insect resistance,
resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, male fertility or
sterility, and improved nutritional quality.

[0011] Still yet another aspect of the invention relates to a first
generation (F1) hybrid soybean seed produced by crossing a plant of
the soybean variety A1026361 to a second soybean plant. Also included in
the invention are the F1 hybrid soybean plants grown from the hybrid
seed produced by crossing the soybean variety A1026361 to a second
soybean plant. Still further included in the invention are the seeds of
an F1 hybrid plant produced with the soybean variety A1026361 as one
parent, the second generation (F2) hybrid soybean plant grown from
the seed of the F1 hybrid plant, and the seeds of the F2 hybrid
plant.

[0012] Still yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing
soybean seeds comprising crossing a plant of the soybean variety A1026361
to any second soybean plant, including itself or another plant of the
variety A1026361. In particular embodiments of the invention, the method
of crossing comprises the steps of a) planting seeds of the soybean
variety A1026361; b) cultivating soybean plants resulting from said seeds
until said plants bear flowers; c) allowing fertilization of the flowers
of said plants; and d) harvesting seeds produced from said plants.

[0013] Still yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing
hybrid soybean seeds comprising crossing the soybean variety A1026361 to
a second, distinct soybean plant which is nonisogenic to the soybean
variety A1026361. In particular embodiments of the invention, the
crossing comprises the steps of a) planting seeds of soybean variety
A1026361 and a second, distinct soybean plant, b) cultivating the soybean
plants grown from the seeds until the plants bear flowers; c) cross
pollinating a flower on one of the two plants with the pollen of the
other plant, and d) harvesting the seeds resulting from the cross
pollinating.

[0014] Still yet another aspect of the invention is a method for
developing a soybean plant in a soybean breeding program comprising:
obtaining a soybean plant, or its parts, of the variety A1026361; and b)
employing said plant or parts as a source of breeding material using
plant breeding techniques. In the method, the plant breeding techniques
may be selected from the group consisting of recurrent selection, mass
selection, bulk selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, genetic
marker-assisted selection and genetic transformation. In certain
embodiments of the invention, the soybean plant of variety A1026361 is
used as the male or female parent.

[0015] Still yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing
a soybean plant derived from the soybean variety A1026361, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a progeny plant derived from
soybean variety A1026361 by crossing a plant of the soybean variety
A1026361 with a second soybean plant; and (b) crossing the progeny plant
with itself or a second plant to produce a progeny plant of a subsequent
generation which is derived from a plant of the soybean variety A1026361.
In one embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises: (c)
crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a
second plant; and (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for, in some
embodiments, at least 2, 3, 4 or more additional generations to produce
an inbred soybean plant derived from the soybean variety A1026361. Also
provided by the invention is a plant produced by this and the other
methods of the invention.

[0016] In another embodiment of the invention, the method of producing a
soybean plant derived from the soybean variety A1026361 further
comprises: (a) crossing the soybean variety A1026361-derived soybean
plant with itself or another soybean plant to yield additional soybean
variety A1026361-derived progeny soybean seed; (b) growing the progeny
soybean seed of step (a) under plant growth conditions to yield
additional soybean variety A1026361-derived soybean plants; and (c)
repeating the crossing and growing steps of (a) and (b) to generate
further soybean variety A1026361-derived soybean plants. In specific
embodiments, steps (a) and (b) may be repeated at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5
or more times as desired. The invention still further provides a soybean
plant produced by this and the foregoing methods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The instant invention provides methods and composition relating to
plants, seeds and derivatives of the soybean variety A1026361. Soybean
variety A1026361 is adapted to late group 3 growing regions. Soybean
variety A1026361 was developed from an initial cross of
(ACP4606MOR:@.@.)/(OX3707A3-D0YN:@.). The breeding history of the variety
can be summarized as follows:

TABLE-US-00001
Generation Year Description
Cross 2007 The cross was made at Stonington, IL
F1 2007 Plants were grown at Isabela, PR and advanced
using bulk
F2 2008 Plants were grown at Isabela, PR and advanced
using bulk
F3 2008 Plants were grown at Stonington, IL and advanced
using single plant selection
F4 2008 Plants were grown in Fontezuela, Argentina in
Progeny Rows and the variety A1026361 was
selected based on the agronomic characteristics,
including but not limited to, general plant health,
lodging, early emergence, and general disease
resistance, including PRR, SCN, etc.

[0018] The soybean variety A1026361 has been judged to be uniform for
breeding purposes and testing. The variety A1026361 can be reproduced by
planting and growing seeds of the variety under self-pollinating or
sib-pollinating conditions, as is known to those of skill in the
agricultural arts. Variety A1026361 shows no variants other than what
would normally be expected due to environment or that would occur for
almost any characteristic during the course of repeated sexual
reproduction.

[0019] The results of an objective evaluation of the variety are presented
below, in Table 1. Those of skill in the art will recognize that these
are typical values that may vary due to environment and that other values
that are substantially equivalent are within the scope of the invention.

[0021] One aspect of the current invention concerns methods for crossing
the soybean variety A1026361 with itself or a second plant and the seeds
and plants produced by such methods. These methods can be used for
propagation of the soybean variety A1026361, or can be used to produce
hybrid soybean seeds and the plants grown therefrom. Hybrid soybean
plants can be used by farmers in the commercial production of soy
products or may be advanced in certain breeding protocols for the
production of novel soybean varieties. A hybrid plant can also be used as
a recurrent parent at any given stage in a backcrossing protocol during
the production of a single locus conversion of the soybean variety
A1026361.

[0022] Soybean variety A1026361 is well suited to the development of new
varieties based on the elite nature of the genetic background of the
variety. In selecting a second plant to cross with A1026361 for the
purpose of developing novel soybean varieties, it will typically be
desired to choose those plants which either themselves exhibit one or
more selected desirable characteristics or which exhibit the desired
characteristic(s) when in hybrid combination. Examples of potentially
desired characteristics include seed yield, lodging resistance,
emergence, seedling vigor, disease tolerance, maturity, plant height,
high oil content, high protein content and shattering resistance.

[0023] Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of
plant reproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and
the type of variety used commercially (e.g., F1 hybrid variety,
pureline variety, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of
superior individual plants evaluated at a single location will be
effective, whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be
based on mean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of
related plants. Popular selection methods commonly include pedigree
selection, modified pedigree selection, mass selection, recurrent
selection and backcrossing.

[0024] The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding
method. Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable
genes for a highly heritable trait into a desirable variety. This
approach has been used extensively for breeding disease-resistant
varieties (Bowers et al., Crop Sci., 32(1):67-72, 1992; Nickell and
Bernard, Crop Sci., 32(3):835, 1992). Various recurrent selection
techniques are used to improve quantitatively inherited traits controlled
by numerous genes. The use of recurrent selection in self-pollinating
crops depends on the ease of pollination, the frequency of successful
hybrids from each pollination, and the number of hybrid offspring from
each successful cross.

[0025] Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective
evaluation of the efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation
criteria vary depending on the goal and objectives, but should include
gain from selection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate
standard, overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of
successful varieties produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per
dollar expended, etc.).

[0026] Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and
compared to appropriate standards in environments representative of the
commercial target area(s) for generally three or more years. The best
lines are candidates for new commercial varieties. Those still deficient
in a few traits may be used as parents to produce new populations for
further selection.

[0027] These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and
distribution, may take as much as eight to 12 years from the time the
first cross is made. Therefore, development of new varieties is a
time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficient
use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.

[0028] A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that are
genetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic value is
masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors. One
method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performance
relative to other experimental plants and to one or more widely grown
standard varieties. Single observations are generally inconclusive, while
replicated observations provide a better estimate of genetic worth.

[0029] The goal of plant breeding is to develop new, unique and superior
soybean varieties and hybrids. The breeder initially selects and crosses
two or more parental lines, followed by repeated selfing and selection,
producing many new genetic combinations. Each year, the plant breeder
selects the germplasm to advance to the next generation. This germplasm
is grown under unique and different geographical, climatic and soil
conditions, and further selections are then made, during and at the end
of the growing season. The varieties which are developed are
unpredictable. This unpredictability is because the breeder's selection
occurs in unique environments, with no control at the DNA level (using
conventional breeding procedures), and with millions of different
possible genetic combinations being generated. A breeder of ordinary
skill in the art cannot predict the final resulting lines he develops,
except possibly in a very gross and general fashion. The same breeder
cannot produce the same variety twice by using the exact same original
parents and the same selection techniques. This unpredictability results
in the expenditure of large amounts of research monies to develop
superior new soybean varieties.

[0030] Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are used
to develop varieties from breeding populations. Breeding programs combine
desirable traits from two or more varieties or various broad-based
sources into breeding pools from which varieties are developed by selfing
and selection of desired phenotypes. The new varieties are evaluated to
determine which have commercial potential.

[0031] Pedigree breeding is commonly used for the improvement of
self-pollinating crops. Two parents which possess favorable,
complementary traits are crossed to produce an F1. An F2
population is produced by selfing one or several F1's. Selection of
the best individuals may begin in the F2 population (or later
depending upon the breeder's objectives); then, beginning in the F3,
the best individuals in the best families can be selected. Replicated
testing of families can begin in the F3 or F4 generation to
improve the effectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability.
At an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F6 and F7), the best
lines or mixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for
potential release as new varieties.

[0032] Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations of
either self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variable
population of heterozygous individuals is either identified or created by
intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selected
based on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellent
combining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a new
population in which further cycles of selection are continued.

[0033] Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genetic loci for
simply inherited, highly heritable traits into a desirable homozygous
variety which is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait to be
transferred is called the donor or nonrecurent parent. The resulting
plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (i.e.,
variety) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. After
the initial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor
parent are selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent
parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the
recurrent parent (i.e., variety) and the desirable trait transferred from
the donor parent.

[0034] The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to
planting a segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per
plant, and using the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When
the population has been advanced from the F2 to the desired level of
inbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace to
different F2 individuals. The number of plants in a population
declines each generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or
some plants to produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the
F2 plants originally sampled in the population will be represented
by a progeny when generation advance is completed.

[0035] In a multiple-seed procedure, soybean breeders commonly harvest one
or more pods from each plant in a population and thresh them together to
form a bulk. Part of the bulk is used to plant the next generation and
part is put in reserve. This procedure is also referred to as modified
single-seed descent or the pod-bulk technique.

[0036] The multiple-seed procedure has been used to save labor at harvest.
It is considerably faster to thresh pods with a machine than to remove
one seed from each by hand for the single-seed procedure. The
multiple-seed procedure also makes it possible to plant the same number
of seeds of a population each generation of inbreeding. Enough seeds are
harvested to make up for those plants that did not germinate or produce
seed.

[0038] Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the
level of superiority or improvement over current varieties. In addition
to showing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new variety
that is compatible with industry standards or which creates a new market.
The introduction of a new variety will incur additional costs to the seed
producer, the grower, processor and consumer; for special advertising and
marketing, altered seed and commercial production practices, and new
product utilization. The testing preceding release of a new variety
should take into consideration research and development costs as well as
technical superiority of the final variety. For seed-propagated
varieties, it must be feasible to produce seed easily and economically.

[0039] Any time the soybean variety A1026361 is crossed with another,
different, variety, first generation (F1) soybean progeny are
produced. The hybrid progeny are produced regardless of characteristics
of the two varieties produced. As such, an F1 hybrid soybean plant
may be produced by crossing A1026361 with any second soybean plant. The
second soybean plant may be genetically homogeneous (e.g., inbred) or may
itself be a hybrid. Therefore, any F1 hybrid soybean plant produced
by crossing soybean variety A1026361 with a second soybean plant is a
part of the present invention.

[0041] Sensitivity to day length is an important consideration when
genotypes are grown outside of their area of adaptation. When genotypes
adapted to tropical latitudes are grown in the field at higher latitudes,
they may not mature before frost occurs. Plants can be induced to flower
and mature earlier by creating artificially short days or by grafting
(Fehr, "Soybean," In: Hybridization of Crop Plants, Fehr and Hadley
(eds), Am. Soc. Agron. and Crop Sci. Soc. Am., Madison, Wis., 590-599,
1980). Soybeans frequently are grown in winter nurseries located at sea
level in tropical latitudes where day lengths are much shorter than their
critical photoperiod. The short day lengths and warm temperatures
encourage early flowering and seed maturation, and genotypes can produce
a seed crop in 90 days or fewer after planting. Early flowering is useful
for generation advance when only a few self-pollinated seeds per plant
are needed, but not for artificial hybridization because the flowers
self-pollinate before they are large enough to manipulate for
hybridization. Artificial lighting can be used to extend the natural day
length to about 14.5 h to obtain flowers suitable for hybridization and
to increase yields of self-pollinated seed.

[0042] The effect of a short photoperiod on flowering and seed yield can
be partly offset by altitude, probably due to the effects of cool
temperature (Major et al., Crop Sci., 15:174-179, 1975). At tropical
latitudes, varieties adapted to the northern U.S. perform more like those
adapted to the southern U.S. at high altitudes than they do at sea level.

[0043] The light level required to delay flowering is dependent on the
quality of light emitted from the source and the genotype being grown.
Blue light with a wavelength of about 480 nm requires more than 30 times
the energy to inhibit flowering as red light with a wavelength of about
640 nm (Parker et al., Bot. Gaz., 108:1-26, 1946).

[0044] Temperature can also play a significant role in the flowering and
development of soybean (Major et al., Crop Sci., 15:174-179, 1975). It
can influence the time of flowering and suitability of flowers for
hybridization. Temperatures below 21° C. or above 32° C.
can reduce floral initiation or seed set (Hamner, "Glycine max(L.)
Merrill," In: The Induction of Flowering: Some Case Histories, Evans
(ed), Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, N.Y., 62-89, 1969; van Schaik and
Probst, Agron. J., 50:192-197, 1958). Artificial hybridization is most
successful between 26° C. and 32° C. because cooler
temperatures reduce pollen shed and result in flowers that self-pollinate
before they are large enough to manipulate. Warmer temperatures
frequently are associated with increased flower abortion caused by
moisture stress; however, successful crosses are possible at about
35° C. if soil moisture is adequate.

[0045] Soybeans have been classified as indeterminate, semi-determinate,
and determinate based on the abruptness of stem termination after
flowering begins (Bernard and Weiss, "Qualitative genetics," In:
Soybeans: Improvement, Production, and Uses, Caldwell (ed), Am. Soc. of
Agron., Madison, Wis., 117-154, 1973). When grown at their latitude of
adaptation, indeterminate genotypes flower when about one-half of the
nodes on the main stem have developed. They have short racemes with few
flowers, and their terminal node has only a few flowers. Semi-determinate
genotypes also flower when about one-half of the nodes on the main stem
have developed, but node development and flowering on the main stem stops
more abruptly than on indeterminate genotypes. Their racemes are short
and have few flowers, except for the terminal one, which may have several
times more flowers than those lower on the plant. Determinate varieties
begin flowering when all or most of the nodes on the main stem have
developed. They usually have elongated racemes that may be several
centimeters in length and may have a large number of flowers. Stem
termination and flowering habit are reported to be controlled by two
major genes (Bernard and Weiss, "Qualitative genetics," In: Soybeans:
Improvement, Production, and Uses, Caldwell (ed), Am. Soc. of Agron.,
Madison, Wis., 117-154, 1973).

[0046] Soybean flowers typically are self-pollinated on the day the
corolla opens. The amount of natural crossing, which is typically
associated with insect vectors such as honeybees, is approximately 1% for
adjacent plants within a row and 0.5% between plants in adjacent rows
(Boerma and Moradshahi, Crop Sci., 15:858-861, 1975). The structure of
soybean flowers is similar to that of other legume species and consists
of a calyx with five sepals, a corolla with five petals, 10 stamens, and
a pistil (Carlson, "Morphology", In: Soybeans: Improvement, Production,
and Uses, Caldwell (ed), Am. Soc. of Agron., Madison, Wis., 17-95, 1973).
The calyx encloses the corolla until the day before anthesis. The corolla
emerges and unfolds to expose a standard, two wing petals, and two keel
petals. An open flower is about 7 mm long from the base of the calyx to
the tip of the standard and 6 mm wide across the standard. The pistil
consists of a single ovary that contains one to five ovules, a style that
curves toward the standard, and a club-shaped stigma. The stigma is
receptive to pollen about 1 day before anthesis and remains receptive for
2 days after anthesis, if the flower petals are not removed. Filaments of
nine stamens are fused, and the one nearest the standard is free. The
stamens form a ring below the stigma until about 1 day before anthesis,
then their filaments begin to elongate rapidly and elevate the anthers
around the stigma. The anthers dehisce on the day of anthesis, pollen
grains fall on the stigma, and within 10 h the pollen tubes reach the
ovary and fertilization is completed (Johnson and Bernard, "Soybean
genetics and breeding," In: The Soybean, Norman (ed), Academic Press, NY,
1-73, 1963).

[0047] Self-pollination occurs naturally in soybean with no manipulation
of the flowers. For the crossing of two soybean plants, it is often
beneficial, although not required, to utilize artificial hybridization.
In artificial hybridization, the flower used as a female in a cross is
manually cross pollinated prior to maturation of pollen from the flower,
thereby preventing self fertilization, or alternatively, the male parts
of the flower are emasculated using a technique known in the art.
Techniques for emasculating the male parts of a soybean flower include,
for example, physical removal of the male parts, use of a genetic factor
conferring male sterility, and application of a chemical gametocide to
the male parts.

[0048] For artificial hybridization employing emasculation, flowers that
are expected to open the following day are selected on the female parent.
The buds are swollen and the corolla is just visible through the calyx or
has begun to emerge. Usually no more than two buds on a parent plant are
prepared, and all self-pollinated flowers or immature buds are removed
with forceps. Special care is required to remove immature buds that are
hidden under the stipules at the leaf axil, and which could develop into
flowers at a later date. The flower is grasped between the thumb and
index finger and the location of the stigma determined by examining the
sepals. A long, curvy sepal covers the keel, and the stigma is on the
opposite side of the flower. The calyx is removed by grasping a sepal
with the forceps, pulling it down and around the flower, and repeating
the procedure until the five sepals are removed. The exposed corolla is
removed by grasping it just above the calyx scar, then lifting and
wiggling the forceps simultaneously. Care is taken to grasp the corolla
low enough to remove the keel petals without injuring the stigma. The
ring of anthers is visible after the corolla is removed, unless the
anthers were removed with the petals. Cross-pollination can then be
carried out using, for example, petri dishes or envelopes in which male
flowers have been collected. Desiccators containing calcium chloride
crystals are used in some environments to dry male flowers to obtain
adequate pollen shed.

[0049] It has been demonstrated that emasculation is unnecessary to
prevent self-pollination (Walker et al., Crop Sci., 19:285-286, 1979).
When emasculation is not used, the anthers near the stigma frequently are
removed to make it clearly visible for pollination. The female flower
usually is hand-pollinated immediately after it is prepared; although a
delay of several hours does not seem to reduce seed set. Pollen shed
typically begins in the morning and may end when temperatures are above
30° C., or may begin later and continue throughout much of the day
with more moderate temperatures.

[0050] Pollen is available from a flower with a recently opened corolla,
but the degree of corolla opening associated with pollen shed may vary
during the day. In many environments, it is possible to collect male
flowers and use them immediately without storage. In the southern U.S.
and other humid climates, pollen shed occurs in the morning when female
flowers are more immature and difficult to manipulate than in the
afternoon, and the flowers may be damp from heavy dew. In those
circumstances, male flowers are collected into envelopes or petri dishes
in the morning and the open container is typically placed in a desiccator
for about 4 h at a temperature of about 25° C. The desiccator may
be taken to the field in the afternoon and kept in the shade to prevent
excessive temperatures from developing within it. Pollen viability can be
maintained in flowers for up to 2 days when stored at about 5° C.
In a desiccator at 3° C., flowers can be stored successfully for
several weeks; however, varieties may differ in the percentage of pollen
that germinates after long-term storage (Kuehl, "Pollen viability and
stigma receptivity of Glycine max (L.) Merrill," Thesis, North Carolina
State College, Raleigh, N.C., 1961).

[0051] Either with or without emasculation of the female flower, hand
pollination can be carried out by removing the stamens and pistil with a
forceps from a flower of the male parent and gently brushing the anthers
against the stigma of the female flower. Access to the stamens can be
achieved by removing the front sepal and keel petals, or piercing the
keel with closed forceps and allowing them to open to push the petals
away. Brushing the anthers on the stigma causes them to rupture, and the
highest percentage of successful crosses is obtained when pollen is
clearly visible on the stigma. Pollen shed can be checked by tapping the
anthers before brushing the stigma. Several male flowers may have to be
used to obtain suitable pollen shed when conditions are unfavorable, or
the same male may be used to pollinate several flowers with good pollen
shed.

[0052] When male flowers do not have to be collected and dried in a
desiccator, it may be desired to plant the parents of a cross adjacent to
each other. Plants usually are grown in rows 65 to 100 cm apart to
facilitate movement of personnel within the field nursery. Yield of
self-pollinated seed from an individual plant may range from a few seeds
to more than 1,000 as a function of plant density. A density of 30
plants/m of row can be used when 30 or fewer seeds per plant is adequate,
10 plants/m can be used to obtain about 100 seeds/plant, and 3 plants/m
usually results in maximum seed production per plant. Densities of 12
plants/m or less commonly are used for artificial hybridization.

[0053] Multiple planting dates about 7 to 14 days apart usually are used
to match parents of different flowering dates. When differences in
flowering dates are extreme between parents, flowering of the later
parent can be hastened by creating an artificially short day or flowering
of the earlier parent can be delayed by use of artificially long days or
delayed planting. For example, crosses with genotypes adapted to the
southern U.S. are made in northern U.S. locations by covering the late
genotype with a box, large can, or similar container to create an
artificially short photoperiod of about 12 h for about 15 days beginning
when there are three nodes with trifoliate leaves on the main stem.
Plants induced to flower early tend to have flowers that self-pollinate
when they are small and can be difficult to prepare for hybridization.

[0054] Grafting can be used to hasten the flowering of late flowering
genotypes. A scion from a late genotype grafted on a stock that has begun
to flower will begin to bloom up to 42 days earlier than normal (Kiihl et
al., Crop Sci., 17:181-182, 1977). First flowers on the scion appear from
21 to 50 days after the graft.

[0055] Observing pod development 7 days after pollination generally is
adequate to identify a successful cross. Abortion of pods and seeds can
occur several weeks after pollination, but the percentage of abortion
usually is low if plant stress is minimized (Shibles et al., "Soybean,"
In: Crop Physiology, Some Case Histories, Evans (ed), Cambridge Univ.
Press, Cambridge, England, 51-189, 1975). Pods that develop from
artificial hybridization can be distinguished from self-pollinated pods
by the presence of the calyx scar, caused by removal of the sepals. The
sepals begin to fall off as the pods mature; therefore, harvest should be
completed at or immediately before the time the pods reach their mature
color. Harvesting pods early also avoids any loss by shattering.

[0056] Once harvested, pods are typically air-dried at not more than
38° C. until the seeds contain 13% moisture or less, then the
seeds are removed by hand. Seed can be stored satisfactorily at about
25° C. for up to a year if relative humidity is 50% or less. In
humid climates, germination percentage declines rapidly unless the seed
is dried to 7% moisture and stored in an air-tight container at room
temperature. Long-term storage in any climate is best accomplished by
drying seed to 7% moisture and storing it at 10° C. or less in a
room maintained at 50% relative humidity or in an air-tight container.

II. Further Embodiments of the Invention

[0057] In certain aspects of the invention, plants of soybean variety
A1026361 are modified to include at least a first desired heritable
trait. Such plants may, in one embodiment, be developed by a plant
breeding technique called backcrossing, wherein essentially all of the
morphological and physiological characteristics of a variety are
recovered in addition to a genetic locus transferred into the plant via
the backcrossing technique. By essentially all of the morphological and
physiological characteristics, it is meant that the characteristics of a
plant are recovered that are otherwise present when compared in the same
environment, other than occasional variant traits that might arise during
backcrossing or direct introduction of a transgene. It is understood that
a locus introduced by backcrossing may or may not be transgenic in
origin, and thus the term backcrossing specifically includes backcrossing
to introduce loci that were created by genetic transformation.

[0058] In a typical backcross protocol, the original variety of interest
(recurrent parent) is crossed to a second variety (nonrecurrent parent)
that carries the single locus of interest to be transferred. The
resulting progeny from this cross are then crossed again to the recurrent
parent and the process is repeated until a soybean plant is obtained
wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological
characteristics of the recurrent parent are recovered in the converted
plant, in addition to the transferred locus from the nonrecurrent parent.

[0059] The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step
for a successful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol
is to alter or substitute a trait or characteristic in the original
variety. To accomplish this, a locus of the recurrent variety is modified
or substituted with the desired locus from the nonrecurrent parent, while
retaining essentially all of the rest of the desired genetic, and
therefore the desired physiological and morphological constitution of the
original variety. The choice of the particular nonrecurrent parent will
depend on the purpose of the backcross; one of the major purposes is to
add some commercially desirable, agronomically important trait to the
plant. The exact backcrossing protocol will depend on the characteristic
or trait being altered to determine an appropriate testing protocol.
Although backcrossing methods are simplified when the characteristic
being transferred is a dominant allele, a recessive allele may also be
transferred. In this instance it may be necessary to introduce a test of
the progeny to determine if the desired characteristic has been
successfully transferred.

[0060] Soybean varieties can also be developed from more than two parents
(Fehr, In: "Soybeans: Improvement, Production and Uses," 2nd Ed.,
Manograph 16:249, 1987). The technique, known as modified backcrossing,
uses different recurrent parents during the backcrossing. Modified
backcrossing may be used to replace the original recurrent parent with a
variety having certain more desirable characteristics or multiple parents
may be used to obtain different desirable characteristics from each.

[0061] Many traits have been identified that are not regularly selected
for in the development of a new inbred but that can be improved by
backcrossing techniques. Traits may or may not be transgenic; examples of
these traits include, but are not limited to, male sterility, herbicide
resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, insect and
pest resistance, restoration of male fertility, enhanced nutritional
quality, yield stability, and yield enhancement. These comprise genes
generally inherited through the nucleus.

[0062] Direct selection may be applied where the locus acts as a dominant
trait. An example of a dominant trait is the herbicide resistance trait.
For this selection process, the progeny of the initial cross are sprayed
with the herbicide prior to the backcrossing. The spraying eliminates any
plants which do not have the desired herbicide resistance characteristic,
and only those plants which have the herbicide resistance gene are used
in the subsequent backcross. This process is then repeated for all
additional backcross generations.

[0063] Selection of soybean plants for breeding is not necessarily
dependent on the phenotype of a plant and instead can be based on genetic
investigations. For example, one may utilize a suitable genetic marker
which is closely associated with a trait of interest. One of these
markers may therefore be used to identify the presence or absence of a
trait in the offspring of a particular cross, and hence may be used in
selection of progeny for continued breeding. This technique may commonly
be referred to as marker assisted selection. Any other type of genetic
marker or other assay which is able to identify the relative presence or
absence of a trait of interest in a plant may also be useful for breeding
purposes. Procedures for marker assisted selection applicable to the
breeding of soybeans are well known in the art. Such methods will be of
particular utility in the case of recessive traits and variable
phenotypes, or where conventional assays may be more expensive, time
consuming or otherwise disadvantageous. Types of genetic markers which
could be used in accordance with the invention include, but are not
necessarily limited to, Simple Sequence Length Polymorphisms (SSLPs)
(Williams et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 18:6531-6535, 1990), Randomly
Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), DNA Amplification Fingerprinting
(DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs), Arbitrary Primed
Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), Amplified Fragment Length
Polymorphisms (AFLPs) (EP 534 858, specifically incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety), and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)
(Wang et al., Science, 280:1077-1082, 1998).

[0064] Many qualitative characters also have potential use as
phenotype-based genetic markers in soybeans; however, some or many may
not differ among varieties commonly used as parents (Bernard and Weiss,
"Qualitative genetics," In: Soybeans: Improvement, Production, and Uses,
Caldwell (ed), Am. Soc. of Agron., Madison, Wis., 117-154, 1973). The
most widely used genetic markers are flower color (purple dominant to
white), pubescence color (brown dominant to gray), and pod color (brown
dominant to tan). The association of purple hypocotyl color with purple
flowers and green hypocotyl color with white flowers is commonly used to
identify hybrids in the seedling stage. Differences in maturity, height,
hilum color, and pest resistance between parents can also be used to
verify hybrid plants.

[0065] Many useful traits that can be introduced by backcrossing, as well
as directly into a plant, are those which are introduced by genetic
transformation techniques. Genetic transformation may therefore be used
to insert a selected transgene into the soybean variety of the invention
or may, alternatively, be used for the preparation of transgenes which
can be introduced by backcrossing. Methods for the transformation of many
economically important plants, including soybeans, are well known to
those of skill in the art. Techniques which may be employed for the
genetic transformation of soybeans include, but are not limited to,
electroporation, microprojectile bombardment, Agrobacterium-mediated
transformation and direct DNA uptake by protoplasts.

[0066] To effect transformation by electroporation, one may employ either
friable tissues, such as a suspension culture of cells or embryogenic
callus or alternatively one may transform immature embryos or other
organized tissue directly. In this technique, one would partially degrade
the cell walls of the chosen cells by exposing them to pectin-degrading
enzymes (pectolyases) or mechanically wound tissues in a controlled
manner.

[0067] Protoplasts may also be employed for electroporation transformation
of plants (Bates, Mol. Biotechnol., 2(2):135-145, 1994; Lazzeri, Methods
Mol. Biol., 49:95-106, 1995). For example, the generation of transgenic
soybean plants by electroporation of cotyledon-derived protoplasts was
described by Dhir and Widholm in Intl. Pat. App. Publ. No. WO 92/17598,
the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference.

[0068] A particularly efficient method for delivering transforming DNA
segments to plant cells is microprojectile bombardment. In this method,
particles are coated with nucleic acids and delivered into cells by a
propelling force. Exemplary particles include those comprised of
tungsten, platinum, and often, gold. For the bombardment, cells in
suspension are concentrated on filters or solid culture medium.
Alternatively, immature embryos or other target cells may be arranged on
solid culture medium. The cells to be bombarded are positioned at an
appropriate distance below the macroprojectile stopping plate.

[0069] An illustrative embodiment of a method for delivering DNA into
plant cells by acceleration is the Biolistics Particle Delivery System,
which can be used to propel particles coated with DNA or cells through a
screen, such as a stainless steel or Nytex screen, onto a surface covered
with target soybean cells. The screen disperses the particles so that
they are not delivered to the recipient cells in large aggregates. It is
believed that a screen intervening between the projectile apparatus and
the cells to be bombarded reduces the size of the projectile aggregate
and may contribute to a higher frequency of transformation by reducing
the damage inflicted on the recipient cells by projectiles that are too
large.

[0070] Microprojectile bombardment techniques are widely applicable, and
may be used to transform virtually any plant species. The application of
microprojectile bombardment for the transformation of soybeans is
described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,783, the disclosure of
which is specifically incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0071] Agrobacterium-mediated transfer is another widely applicable system
for introducing gene loci into plant cells. An advantage of the technique
is that DNA can be introduced into whole plant tissues, thereby bypassing
the need for regeneration of an intact plant from a protoplast. Modern
Agrobacterium transformation vectors are capable of replication in E.
coli as well as Agrobacterium, allowing for convenient manipulations
(Klee et al., Bio. Tech., 3(7):637-642, 1985). Moreover, recent
technological advances in vectors for Agrobacterium-mediated gene
transfer have improved the arrangement of genes and cloning sites in the
vectors to facilitate the construction of vectors capable of expressing
various polypeptide coding genes. Vectors can have convenient
multiple-cloning sites (MCS) flanked by a promoter and a polyadenylation
site for direct expression of inserted polypeptide coding genes. Other
vectors can comprise site-specific recombination sequences, enabling
insertion of a desired DNA sequence without the use of restriction
enzymes (Curtis et al., Plant Physiology 133:462-469, 2003).
Additionally, Agrobacterium containing both armed and disarmed Ti genes
can be used for transformation.

[0072] In those plant strains where Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
is efficient, it is the method of choice because of the facile and
defined nature of the gene locus transfer. The use of
Agrobacterium-mediated plant integrating vectors to introduce DNA into
plant cells is well known in the art (Fraley et al., Bio. Tech.,
3(7):629-635, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,055). Use of Agrobacterium in the
context of soybean transformation has been described, for example, by
Chee and Slightom (Methods Mol. Biol., 44:101-119, 1995) and in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,569,834, the disclosures of which are specifically incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety.

[0074] Many hundreds if not thousands of different genes are known and
could potentially be introduced into a soybean plant according to the
invention. Non-limiting examples of particular genes and corresponding
phenotypes one may choose to introduce into a soybean plant are presented
below.

[0075] A. Herbicide Resistance

[0076] Numerous herbicide resistance genes are known and may be employed
with the invention. An example is a gene conferring resistance to a
herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as an
imidazalinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this category code
for mutant ALS and AHAS enzyme as described, for example, by Lee et al.,
EMBO J., 7:1241, 1988; Gleen et al., Plant Molec. Biology, 18:1185-1187,
1992; and Miki et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 80:449, 1990.

[0077] Resistance genes for glyphosate (resistance conferred by mutant
5-enolpyruvl-3 phosphikimate synthase (EPSPS) and aroA genes,
respectively) and other phosphono compounds such as glufosinate
(phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) and Streptomyces hygroscopicus
phosphinothricin-acetyl transferase (bar) genes) may also be used. See,
for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 to Shah et al., which discloses the
nucleotide sequence of a form of EPSPS which can confer glyphosate
resistance. Examples of specific EPSPS transformation events conferring
glyphosate resistance are provided by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,040,497 and
7,632,985. The MON89788 event disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,632,985 in
particular is beneficial in conferring glyphosate tolerance in
combination with an increase in average yield relative to prior events.

[0078] A DNA molecule encoding a mutant aroA gene can be obtained under
ATCC Accession Number 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of the mutant
gene is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,061 to Comai. A hygromycin B
phosphotransferase gene from E. coli which confers resistance to
glyphosate in tobacco callus and plants is described in Penaloza-Vazquez
et al., Plant Cell Reports, 14:482-487, 1995. European Patent Application
No. 0 333 033 to Kumada et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374 to Goodman et
al., disclose nucleotide sequences of glutamine synthetase genes which
confer resistance to herbicides such as L-phosphinothricin. The
nucleotide sequence of a phosphinothricin-acetyltransferase gene is
provided in European Patent Application No. 0 242 246 to Leemans et al.
DeGreef et al. (Biotechnology, 7:61, 1989), describe the production of
transgenic plants that express chimeric bar genes coding for
phosphinothricin acetyl transferase activity. Exemplary genes conferring
resistance to phenoxy propionic acids and cyclohexones, such as
sethoxydim and haloxyfop are the Acct-S1, Acct-S2 and Acct-S3 genes
described by Marshall et al., (Theor. Appl. Genet., 83:4:35, 1992).

[0079] Genes are also known conferring resistance to a herbicide that
inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psbA and gs+ genes) and a
benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). Przibila et al. (Plant Cell, 3:169, 1991)
describe the transformation of Chlamydomonas with plasmids encoding
mutant psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences for nitrilase genes are disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker, and DNA molecules containing these
genes are available under ATCC Accession Nos. 53435, 67441, and 67442.
Cloning and expression of DNA coding for a glutathione S-transferase is
described by Hayes et al. (Biochem. J., 285(Pt 1):173-180, 1992).
Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) is the target of the PPO-inhibitor class
of herbicides; a PPO-inhibitor resistant PPO gene was recently identified
in Amaranthus tuberculatus (Patzoldt et al., PNAS, 103(33):12329-2334,
2006). The herbicide methyl viologen inhibits CO2 assimilation.
Foyer et al. (Plant Physiol., 109:1047-1057, 1995) describe a plant
overexpres sing glutathione reductase (GR) which is resistant to methyl
viologen treatment.

[0081] Bayley et al. (Theor. Appl. Genet., 83:645-649, 1992) describe the
creation of 2,4-D-resistant transgenic tobacco and cotton plants using
the 2,4-D monooxygenase gene tfdA from Alcaligenes eutrophus plasmid
pJP5. U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 20030135879 describes the isolation of a
gene for dicamba monooxygenase (DMO) from Psueodmonas maltophilia that is
involved in the conversion of dicamba to a non-toxic
3,6-dichlorosalicylic acid and thus may be used for producing plants
tolerant to this herbicide.

[0084] Plant defenses are often activated by specific interaction between
the product of a disease resistance gene (R) in the plant and the product
of a corresponding avirulence (Avr) gene in the pathogen. A plant line
can be transformed with cloned resistance gene to engineer plants that
are resistant to specific pathogen strains. See, for example Jones et al.
(Science, 266:7891, 1994) (cloning of the tomato Cf-9 gene for resistance
to Cladosporium fulvum); Martin et al. (Science, 262: 1432, 1993) (tomato
Pto gene for resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato); and
Mindrinos et al. (Cell, 78(6):1089-1099, 1994) (Arabidopsis RPS2 gene for
resistance to Pseudomonas syringae).

[0088] Nematode resistance has been described, for example, in U.S. Pat.
No. 6,228,992, and bacterial disease resistance has been described in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,671.

[0089] The use of the herbicide glyphosate for disease control in soybean
plants containing event MON89788, which confers glyphosate tolerance, has
also been described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,608,761.

[0090] C. Insect Resistance

[0091] One example of an insect resistance gene includes a Bacillus
thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or a synthetic polypeptide
modeled thereon. See, for example, Geiser et al. (Gene, 48(1):109-118,
1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence of a Bacillus
thuringiensis δ-endotoxin gene. Moreover, DNA molecules encoding
δ-endotoxin genes can be purchased from the American Type Culture
Collection, Manassas, Va., for example, under ATCC Accession Nos. 40098,
67136, 31995 and 31998. Another example is a lectin. See, for example,
Van Damme et al. (Plant Molec. Biol., 24:25, 1994), who disclose the
nucleotide sequences of several Clivia miniata mannose-binding lectin
genes. A vitamin-binding protein may also be used, such as avidin. See
PCT Application No. US93/06487, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference. This application teaches the use of avidin and
avidin homologues as larvicides against insect pests.

[0096] Genetic male sterility is available in soybeans and can increase
the efficiency with which hybrids are made, in that it can eliminate the
need to physically emasculate the soybean plant used as a female in a
given cross. (Brim and Stuber, Crop Sci., 13:528-530, 1973).
Herbicide-inducible male sterility systems have also been described.
(U.S. Pat. No. 6,762,344).

[0097] Where one desires to employ male-sterility systems, it may be
beneficial to also utilize one or more male-fertility restorer genes. For
example, where cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is used, hybrid seed
production requires three inbred lines: (1) a cytoplasmically
male-sterile line having a CMS cytoplasm; (2) a fertile inbred with
normal cytoplasm, which is isogenic with the CMS line for nuclear genes
("maintainer line"); and (3) a distinct, fertile inbred with normal
cytoplasm, carrying a fertility restoring gene ("restorer" line). The CMS
line is propagated by pollination with the maintainer line, with all of
the progeny being male sterile, as the CMS cytoplasm is derived from the
female parent. These male sterile plants can then be efficiently employed
as the female parent in hybrid crosses with the restorer line, without
the need for physical emasculation of the male reproductive parts of the
female parent.

[0098] The presence of a male-fertility restorer gene results in the
production of fully fertile F1 hybrid progeny. If no restorer gene
is present in the male parent, male-sterile hybrids are obtained. Such
hybrids are useful where the vegetative tissue of the soybean plant is
utilized, but in many cases the seeds will be deemed the most valuable
portion of the crop, so fertility of the hybrids in these crops must be
restored. Therefore, one aspect of the current invention concerns plants
of the soybean variety A1026361 comprising a genetic locus capable of
restoring male fertility in an otherwise male-sterile plant. Examples of
male-sterility genes and corresponding restorers which could be employed
with the plants of the invention are well known to those of skill in the
art of plant breeding (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,191 and 5,684,242,
the disclosures of which are each specifically incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety).

[0101] Modified oil production is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 6,444,876; 6,426,447 and 6,380,462. High oil production is
disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,495,739; 5,608,149; 6,483,008
and 6,476,295. Modified fatty acid content is disclosed, for example, in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,828,475; 6,822,141; 6,770,465; 6,706,950; 6,660,849;
6,596,538; 6,589,767; 6,537,750; 6,489,461 and 6,459,018.

[0102] Phytate metabolism may also be modified by introduction of a
phytase-encoding gene to enhance breakdown of phytate, adding more free
phosphate to the transformed plant. For example, see Van Hartingsveldt et
al. (Gene, 127:87, 1993), for a disclosure of the nucleotide sequence of
an Aspergillus niger phytase gene. In soybean, this, for example, could
be accomplished by cloning and then reintroducing DNA associated with the
single allele which is responsible for soybean mutants characterized by
low levels of phytic acid. See Raboy et al. (Plant Physiol.,
124(1):355-368, 2000).

[0105] Abiotic stress includes dehydration or other osmotic stress,
salinity, high or low light intensity, high or low temperatures,
submergence, exposure to heavy metals, and oxidative stress.
Delta-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) from mothbean has been
used to provide protection against general osmotic stress.
Mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (mt1D) from E. coli has been used to
provide protection against drought and salinity. Choline oxidase (codA
from Arthrobactor globiformis) can protect against cold and salt. E. coli
choline dehydrogenase (betA) provides protection against salt. Additional
protection from cold can be provided by omega-3-fatty acid desaturase
(fad7) from Arabidopsis thaliana. Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and
levan sucrase (SacB) from yeast and Bacillus subtilis, respectively, can
provide protection against drought (summarized from Annex II Genetic
Engineering for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants, Consultative Group On
International Agricultural Research Technical Advisory Committee).
Overexpression of superoxide dismutase can be used to protect against
superoxides, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,878 to Thomas et al.

[0106] G. Additional Traits

[0107] Additional traits can be introduced into the soybean variety of the
present invention. A non-limiting example of such a trait is a coding
sequence which decreases RNA and/or protein levels. The decreased RNA
and/or protein levels may be achieved through RNAi methods, such as those
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,559 to Fire and Mellow.

[0108] Another trait that may find use with the soybean variety of the
invention is a sequence which allows for site-specific recombination.
Examples of such sequences include the FRT sequence, used with the FLP
recombinase (Zhu and Sadowski, J. Biol. Chem., 270:23044-23054, 1995);
and the LOX sequence, used with CRE recombinase (Sauer, Mol. Cell. Biol.,
7:2087-2096, 1987). The recombinase genes can be encoded at any location
within the genome of the soybean plant, and are active in the hemizygous
state.

[0109] It may also be desirable to make soybean plants more tolerant to or
more easily transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Expression of p53
and iap, two baculovirus cell-death suppressor genes, inhibited tissue
necrosis and DNA cleavage. Additional targets can include plant-encoded
proteins that interact with the Agrobacterium Vir genes; enzymes involved
in plant cell wall formation; and histones, histone acetyltransferases
and histone deacetylases (reviewed in Gelvin, Microbiology & Mol. Biol.
Reviews, 67:16-37, 2003).

[0110] In addition to the modification of oil, fatty acid or phytate
content described above, it may additionally be beneficial to modify the
amounts or levels of other compounds. For example, the amount or
composition of antioxidants can be altered. See, for example, U.S. Pat.
No. 6,787,618; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 20040034886 and International
Patent App. Pub. No. WO 00/68393, which disclose the manipulation of
antioxidant levels, and International Patent App. Pub. No. WO 03/082899,
which discloses the manipulation of a antioxidant biosynthetic pathway.

III. Origin and Breeding History of an Exemplary Single Locus Converted
Plant

[0114] It is known to those of skill in the art that, by way of the
technique of backcrossing, one or more traits may be introduced into a
given variety while otherwise retaining essentially all of the traits of
that variety. An example of such backcrossing to introduce a trait into a
starting variety is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,556, the entire
disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference. The
procedure described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,556 can be summarized as
follows: The soybean variety known as Williams '82 [Glycine max L. Merr.]
(Reg. No. 222, PI 518671) was developed using backcrossing techniques to
transfer a locus comprising the Rps1 gene to the variety Williams
(Bernard and Cremeens, Crop Sci., 28:1027-1028, 1988). Williams '82 is a
composite of four resistant lines from the BC6F3 generation,
which were selected from 12 field-tested resistant lines from
Williams×Kingwa. The variety Williams was used as the recurrent
parent in the backcross and the variety Kingwa was used as the source of
the RpsI locus. This gene locus confers resistance to 19 of the 24
races of the fungal agent phytopthora rot.

[0115] The F1 or F2 seedlings from each backcross round were
tested for resistance to the fungus by hypocotyl inoculation using the
inoculum of race 5. The final generation was tested using inoculum of
races 1 to 9. In a backcross such as this, where the desired
characteristic being transferred to the recurrent parent is controlled by
a major gene which can be readily evaluated during the backcrossing, it
is common to conduct enough backcrosses to avoid testing individual
progeny for specific traits such as yield in extensive replicated tests.
In general, four or more backcrosses are used when there is no evaluation
of the progeny for specific traits, such as yield. As in this example,
lines with the phenotype of the recurrent parent may be composited
without the usual replicated tests for traits such as yield, protein or
oil percentage in the individual lines.

[0116] The variety Williams '82 is comparable to the recurrent parent
variety Williams in its traits except resistance to phytopthora rot. For
example, both varieties have a relative maturity of 38, indeterminate
stems, white flowers, brown pubescence, tan pods at maturity and shiny
yellow seeds with black to light black hila.

IV. Tissue Cultures and In Vitro Regeneration of Soybean Plants

[0117] A further aspect of the invention relates to tissue cultures of the
soybean variety designated A1026361. As used herein, the term "tissue
culture" indicates a composition comprising isolated cells of the same or
a different type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of a
plant. Exemplary types of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli and
plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as
embryos, pollen, flowers, leaves, roots, root tips, anthers, and the
like. In one embodiment, the tissue culture comprises embryos,
protoplasts, meristematic cells, pollen, leaves or anthers.

[0118] Exemplary procedures for preparing tissue cultures of regenerable
soybean cells and regenerating soybean plants therefrom, are disclosed in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,992,375; 5,015,580; 5,024,944 and 5,416,011, each of the
disclosures of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety.

[0119] An important ability of a tissue culture is the capability to
regenerate fertile plants. This allows, for example, transformation of
the tissue culture cells followed by regeneration of transgenic plants.
For transformation to be efficient and successful, DNA must be introduced
into cells that give rise to plants or germ-line tissue.

[0120] Soybeans typically are regenerated via two distinct processes:
shoot morphogenesis and somatic embryogenesis (Finer, Cheng, Verma,
"Soybean transformation: Technologies and progress," In: Soybean:
Genetics, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, CAB Intl, Verma and
Shoemaker (ed), Wallingford, Oxon, UK, 250-251, 1996). Shoot
morphogenesis is the process of shoot meristem organization and
development. Shoots grow out from a source tissue and are excised and
rooted to obtain an intact plant. During somatic embryogenesis, an embryo
(similar to the zygotic embryo), containing both shoot and root axes, is
formed from somatic plant tissue. An intact plant rather than a rooted
shoot results from the germination of the somatic embryo.

[0121] Shoot morphogenesis and somatic embryogenesis are different
processes and the specific route of regeneration is primarily dependent
on the explant source and media used for tissue culture manipulations.
While the systems are different, both systems show variety-specific
responses where some lines are more responsive to tissue culture
manipulations than others. A line that is highly responsive in shoot
morphogenesis may not generate many somatic embryos. Lines that produce
large numbers of embryos during an `induction` step may not give rise to
rapidly-growing proliferative cultures. Therefore, it may be desired to
optimize tissue culture conditions for each soybean line. These
optimizations may readily be carried out by one of skill in the art of
tissue culture through small-scale culture studies. In addition to
line-specific responses, proliferative cultures can be observed with both
shoot morphogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. Proliferation is
beneficial for both systems, as it allows a single, transformed cell to
multiply to the point that it will contribute to germ-line tissue.

[0122] Shoot morphogenesis was first reported by Wright et al. (Plant Cell
Reports, 5:150-154, 1986) as a system whereby shoots were obtained de
novo from cotyledonary nodes of soybean seedlings. The shoot meristems
were formed subepidermally and morphogenic tissue could proliferate on a
medium containing benzyl adenine (BA). This system can be used for
transformation if the subepidermal, multicellular origin of the shoots is
recognized and proliferative cultures are utilized. The idea is to target
tissue that will give rise to new shoots and proliferate those cells
within the meristematic tissue to lessen problems associated with
chimerism. Formation of chimeras, resulting from transformation of only a
single cell in a meristem, are problematic if the transformed cell is not
adequately proliferated and does not does not give rise to germ-line
tissue. Once the system is well understood and reproduced satisfactorily,
it can be used as one target tissue for soybean transformation.

[0123] Somatic embryogenesis in soybean was first reported by Christianson
et al. (Science, 222:632-634, 1983) as a system in which embryogenic
tissue was initially obtained from the zygotic embryo axis. These
embryogenic cultures were proliferative but the repeatability of the
system was low and the origin of the embryos was not reported. Later
histological studies of a different proliferative embryogenic soybean
culture showed that proliferative embryos were of apical or surface
origin with a small number of cells contributing to embryo formation. The
origin of primary embryos (the first embryos derived from the initial
explant) is dependent on the explant tissue and the auxin levels in the
induction medium (Hartweck et al., In Vitro Cell. Develop. Bio.,
24:821-828, 1988). With proliferative embryonic cultures, single cells or
small groups of surface cells of the `older` somatic embryos form the
`newer` embryos.

[0124] Embryogenic cultures can also be used successfully for
regeneration, including regeneration of transgenic plants, if the origin
of the embryos is recognized and the biological limitations of
proliferative embryogenic cultures are understood. Biological limitations
include the difficulty in developing proliferative embryogenic cultures
and reduced fertility problems (culture-induced variation) associated
with plants regenerated from long-term proliferative embryogenic
cultures. Some of these problems are accentuated in prolonged cultures.
The use of more recently cultured cells may decrease or eliminate such
problems.

V. Definitions

[0125] In the description and tables, a number of terms are used. In order
to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification and
claims, the following definitions are provided:

[0126] A: When used in conjunction with the word "comprising" or other
open language in the claims, the words "a" and "an" denote "one or more."

[0127] Allele: Any of one or more alternative forms of a gene locus, all
of which relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cell or
organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on a
pair of homologous chromosomes.

[0128] Aphids: Aphid resistance is scored on a scale from 1 to 9; a score
of 4 or less indicates resistance. Varieties scored as 1 to 5 appear
normal and healthy, with numbers of aphids increasing from none to up to
300 per plant. A score of 7 indicates that there are 301 to 800 aphids
per plant and that the plants show slight signs of infestation. A score
of 9 indicates severe infestation and stunted plants with severely curled
and yellow leaves.

[0129] Asian Soybean Rust (ASR): ASR may be visually scored from 1 to 5,
where 1=immune; 2=leaf exhibits red/brown lesions over less than 50% of
surface; 3=leaf exhibits red/brown lesions over greater than 50% of
surface; 4=leaf exhibits tan lesions over less than 50% of surface; and
5=leaf exhibits tan lesions over greater than 50% of surface. Resistance
to ASR may be characterized phenotypically as well as genetically.
Soybean plants phenotypically characterized as resistant to ASR typically
exhibit red brown lesions covering less than 25% of the leaf. Genetic
characterization of ASR resistance may be carried out, for example, by
identifying the presence in a soybean plant of one or more genetic
markers linked to the ASR resistance.

[0130] Backcrossing: A process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses
hybrid progeny, for example a first generation hybrid (F1), back to
one of the parents of the hybrid progeny. Backcrossing can be used to
introduce one or more single locus conversions from one genetic
background into another.

[0131] Brown Stem Rot (BSR): Brown stem rot is visually scored from 1 to 9
comparing all genotypes in a given test, with a score of 1 indicating no
symptoms, and 9 indicating severe symptoms of leaf yellowing and
necrosis. The score is based on leaf symptoms of yellowing and necrosis
caused by brown stem rot. Plants may be identified as "resistant" or
"moderately resistant" to BSR.

[0132] Chloride Sensitivity: Plants may be categorized as "includers" or
"excluders" with respect to chloride sensitivity. Excluders display
increased tolerance to elevated soil chloride levels compared to
includers. In addition, excluders tend to partition chloride in the root
systems and reduce the amount of chloride transported to more sensitive,
above-ground tissues.

[0133] Chromatography: A technique wherein a mixture of dissolved
substances are bound to a solid support followed by passing a column of
fluid across the solid support and varying the composition of the fluid.
The components of the mixture are separated by selective elution.

[0134] Crossing: The mating of two parent plants.

[0135] Cross-pollination: Fertilization by the union of two gametes from
different plants.

[0136] Emasculate: The removal of plant male sex organs or the
inactivation of the organs with a cytoplasmic or nuclear genetic factor
or a chemical agent conferring male sterility.

[0137] Emergence (EMR): The emergence score describes the ability of a
seed to emerge from the soil after planting. Each genotype is given a 1
to 9 score based on its percent of emergence. A score of 1 indicates an
excellent rate and percent of emergence, an intermediate score of 5
indicates an average rating and a 9 score indicates a very poor rate and
percent of emergence.

[0138] Enzymes: Molecules which can act as catalysts in biological
reactions.

[0139] F1 Hybrid: The first generation progeny of the cross of two
nonisogenic plants.

[0140] Frog Eye Leaf Spot (also known as Cercospora Leaf Spot): is caused
by Cercospora sojina. Symptoms occur mostly on foliage. Upper surface of
leaf: Dark, water soaked spots with or without a lighter center and
develop into brown spots surrounded by a narrow dark reddish brown
margin. Lesions become ash gray to light brown. Lower surface of leaf:
spots are darker with light to dark gray centers and sporulate. Non
sporulating lesions are light to dark brown and translucent with a paper
white center. Each sample is evaluated by assigning one score for
incidence and one for severity. The final rating is determined by a
mathematical equation using the incidence score and severity score
resulting in a ranking/rating of 1 (or High Susceptibility) to 5 (or
Resistant).

[0141] Genotype: The genetic constitution of a cell or organism.

[0142] Haploid: A cell or organism having one set of the two sets of
chromosomes in a diploid.

[0143] Iron-Deficiency Chlorosis (IDE=early; IDL=late): Iron-deficiency
chlorosis is scored in a system ranging from 1 to 9 based on visual
observations. A score of 1 means no stunting of the plants or yellowing
of the leaves and a score of 9 indicates the plants are dead or dying
caused by iron-deficiency chlorosis; a score of 5 means plants have
intermediate health with some leaf yellowing.

[0144] Linkage: A phenomenon wherein alleles on the same chromosome tend
to segregate together more often than expected by chance if their
transmission was independent.

[0146] Lodging Resistance (LDG): Lodging is rated on a scale of 1 to 9. A
score of 1 indicates erect plants. A score of 5 indicates plants are
leaning at a 45 degree(s) angle in relation to the ground and a score of
9 indicates plants are lying on the ground.

[0147] Marker: A readily detectable phenotype, preferably inherited in
codominant fashion (both alleles at a locus in a diploid heterozygote are
readily detectable), with no environmental variance component, i.e.,
heritability of 1.

[0148] Maturity Date (MAT): Plants are considered mature when 95% of the
pods have reached their mature color. The maturity date is typically
described in measured days after August 31 in the northern hemisphere.

[0149] Moisture (MST): The average percentage moisture in the seeds of the
variety.

[0150] Oil or Oil Percent: Seed oil content is measured and reported on a
percentage basis.

[0151] Phenotype: The detectable characteristics of a cell or organism,
which characteristics are the manifestation of gene expression.

[0152] Phenotypic Score (PSC): The phenotypic score is a visual rating of
the general appearance of the variety. All visual traits are considered
in the score, including healthiness, standability, appearance and freedom
from disease. Ratings are scored as 1 being poor to 9 being excellent.

[0153] Phytophthora Root Rot (PRR): Disorder in which the most
recognizable symptom is stem rot. Brown discoloration ranges below the
soil line and up to several inches above the soil line. Leaves often turn
yellow, dull green and/or gray and may become brown and wilted, but
remain attached to the plant.

[0155] Phytophthora Tolerance: Tolerance to Phytophthora root rot is rated
on a scale of 1 to 9, with a score of 1 being the best or highest
tolerance ranging down to a score of 9, which indicates the plants have
no tolerance to Phytophthora.

[0156] Plant Height (PHT): Plant height is taken from the top of soil to
the top node of the plant and is measured in inches.

[0157] Predicted Relative Maturity (PRM): The maturity grouping designated
by the soybean industry over a given growing area. This figure is
generally divided into tenths of a relative maturity group. Within narrow
comparisons, the difference of a tenth of a relative maturity group
equates very roughly to a day difference in maturity at harvest.

[0160] Relative Maturity: The maturity grouping designated by the soybean
industry over a given growing area. This figure is generally divided into
tenths of a relative maturity group. Within narrow comparisons, the
difference of a tenth of a relative maturity group equates very roughly
to a day difference in maturity at harvest.

[0161] Seed Protein Peroxidase Activity: Seed protein peroxidase activity
is defined as a chemical taxonomic technique to separate varieties based
on the presence or absence of the peroxidase enzyme in the seed coat.
There are two types of soybean varieties, those having high peroxidase
activity (dark red color) and those having low peroxidase activity (no
color).

[0162] Seed Weight (SWT): Soybean seeds vary in size; therefore, the
number of seeds required to make up one pound also varies. This affects
the pounds of seed required to plant a given area, and can also impact
end uses. (SW100=weight in grams of 100 seeds.)

[0163] Seed Yield (Bushels/Acre): The yield in bushels/acre is the actual
yield of the grain at harvest.

[0164] Seedling Vigor Rating (SDV): General health of the seedling,
measured on a scale of 1 to 9, where 1 is best and 9 is worst.

[0165] Seeds per Pound: Soybean seeds vary in size; therefore, the number
of seeds required to make up one pound also varies. This affects the
pounds of seed required to plant a given area, and can also impact end
uses.

[0166] Selection Index (SELIN): The percentage of the test mean.

[0167] Self-pollination: The transfer of pollen from the anther to the
stigma of the same plant.

[0168] Shattering: The amount of pod dehiscence prior to harvest. Pod
dehiscence involves seeds falling from the pods to the soil. This is a
visual score from 1 to 9 comparing all genotypes within a given test. A
score of 1 means pods have not opened and no seeds have fallen out. A
score of 5 indicates approximately 50% of the pods have opened, with
seeds falling to the ground and a score of 9 indicates 100% of the pods
are opened.

[0169] Single Locus Converted (Conversion) Plant: Plants which are
developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossing, wherein
essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of
a soybean variety are recovered in addition to the characteristics of the
single locus transferred into the variety via the backcrossing technique
and/or by genetic transformation.

[0172] Stearate: A fatty acid in soybean seeds measured and reported as a
percent of the total oil content.

[0173] Substantially Equivalent: A characteristic that, when compared,
does not show a statistically significant difference (e.g., p=0.05) from
the mean.

[0174] Sudden Death Syndrome: Leaf symptoms appear first as bright yellow
chlorotic spots, with progressive development of brown necrotic areas and
eventual leaflet death. Samples are individually evaluated by assigning
one score for incidence and one for severity. Plants scored as Resistant
(R); Moderately Resistant (MR); Moderately Susceptible (MS); and
Susceptible (S).

[0175] Tissue Culture: A composition comprising isolated cells of the same
or a different type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of
a plant.

[0176] Transgene: A genetic locus comprising a sequence which has been
introduced into the genome of a soybean plant by transformation.

[0177] White Mold: Also known as Sclerotinia stem rot. Varieties scored
based on relative tolerance to the disease on a 1-9 basis, where less
than 4=very good; 4=good; 5=above average; 6=average; 7=below average;
and greater than 7=poor.

[0180] A deposit of the soybean variety A1026361, which is disclosed
herein above and referenced in the claims, will be made with the American
Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va.
20110-2209. The date of deposit is ______ and the accession number for
those deposited seeds of soybean variety A1026361 is ATCC Accession No.
______. All restrictions upon the deposit have been removed, and the
deposit is intended to meet all of the requirements of 37 C.F.R.
§1.801-1.809. The deposit will be maintained in the depository for a
period of 30 years, or 5 years after the last request, or for the
effective life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced
if necessary during that period.

[0181] All of the compositions and methods disclosed and claimed herein
can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the
present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention
have been described in terms of the foregoing illustrative embodiments,
it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations,
changes, modifications, and alterations may be applied to the
composition, methods, and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the
methods described herein, without departing from the true concept,
spirit, and scope of the invention. More specifically, it will be
apparent that certain agents that are both chemically and physiologically
related may be substituted for the agents described herein while the same
or similar results would be achieved. All such similar substitutes and
modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be
within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the
appended claims.

[0182] The references cited herein, to the extent that they provide
exemplary procedural or other details supplementary to those set forth
herein, are specifically incorporated herein by reference.

Patent applications by Craig Moots, Taylorville, IL US

Patent applications by David Wooten, Jr., Rochester, IL US

Patent applications in class METHOD OF USING A PLANT OR PLANT PART IN A BREEDING PROCESS WHICH INCLUDES A STEP OF SEXUAL HYBRIDIZATION

Patent applications in all subclasses METHOD OF USING A PLANT OR PLANT PART IN A BREEDING PROCESS WHICH INCLUDES A STEP OF SEXUAL HYBRIDIZATION